Reflecting on time well spent

In fact, ask those who know best and few will tell you they have ever seen me shed tear; so you can imagine my surprise as a few well up in my eyes while writing my final arti­cle as an editor at The Reflector.

Now I know what you’re thinking, is this guy crazy? Who gets choked up about a student newspaper?

Truth is, this place has been more than a simple job to me. It really has defined my time at Mount Royal.

Starting way back in the 2006 semester I wrote an article about the impending perfect storm of video game consoles as the Xbox 360, Playstation 3 and Nintendo’s WII were all set to the shelves. I know, I know, quite a nerdy way to start things off, however, it was at this mo­ment that I realized The Reflector would always allow me to pur­sue my own interests and push myself in a creative manner. To this day, that has not changed and yes I do still play Xbox from time to time).

Over time, I slowly moved up the ranks, starting as a commit­ted news reporter before becom­ing features editor and finally taking on the role of publishing editor.

love The Reflector for the fact that we have never shied away from controversial subjects. On any given week, you might read a story about the university squan­dering the hard-earned money students on one page and on the next you’d find a firsthand account of someone trying out hallucinogenic drug. I know some of you dislike the free spirit have maintained, however, I guarantee you that everything print has an intended pur­pose and the paper is unlikely stop ruffling the feathers of you conservative types anytime soon.

During my three years holed in our little dungeon of office in the basement of Wyckham House, I have had the privilege of working with dozens of talented individuals.

Eight editors and a handful of contributors left to cover an ev­er-evolving campus of 12,000+ students and a rapidly growing community in Calgary. Excuse for being a little egotistical, but we rose to the challenge time and time again.

The one thing I will cherish more than the newspaper it­self is the relationships I have formed. We really are one big family and like all families, we have had our share of ups and downs but I guarantee that you won’t find a more dedicated group of individuals. And no I don’t just mean as far as stu­dent newspapers go.

Sports editor Kelsey Hipkin brings more professionalism and organization to the job than most seasoned reporters and is unafraid to add her own creative flair to the mix. Don’t be surprised if she is the top dog at a major organization like TSN or Sportsnet someday.

News editor Robert Strachan is a solid, hard-nose reporter who accepts everyone for who they are. It’s tough to find someone more loyal in this business.

Photo editor James Paton started off as a nervous, yet skilled, photographer and now, barely a year later, designs our covers and section fronts with the efficiency and skill of a true pro. I look forward to seeing his work on the covers of highly re­garded magazines sometime in the future.

Layout editor Kelsey Chadwick’s spirit alone is enough to brighten even the most hectic of newsrooms, however, it’s her attention to detail that I believe will push this paper over the top in the months to come.

I have only worked briefly with newly anointed arts editor Sean-Paul Boynton and web editor Kevin Rushworth but they have both taken on their roles confi­dently and will undoubtedly be great additions to the team.

Last, but certainly not least, is my successor Katie Turner. Someone that I would describe as an extremely genuine, intel­ligent and skilled person, she originally replaced me as fea­tures editor and quickly out­shone my accomplishments, it’s not hard to imagine her doing it again as publishing editor.

So there you have it, it was not an easy decision to leave but I do so with the comfort of knowing that The Reflector is in good hands. I have been very fortunate to work with these people because as much as I intended to teach them, it feels like it was I who learned the most.

I don’t know what my life at Mount Royal would have looked like without this paper and frankly, I don’t care. The other day while talking with a close friend about my post-secondary experience, I realized it has been everything I could have imag­ined and more. I owe much of that to The Reflector.

So, if you are searching for something more from your time on-campus — whether you are a Mount Royal newcomer or Van Wilder-type veteran — then stop by the office in the basement of Wyckham House. Someone will surely be there to greet you with a smile before quickly trying to convince you that their section of the paper is far superior to the others.

1 Response

A completely revamped website that puts the prior online version to shame, and a print edition that continues to mark the highlights and low lights of campus and community life in Calgary. A few years ago I would have considered the Reflector a student newspaper, but with the current teams work and Jeremy’s dedication and spirit, the words student and newspaper can be eliminated.
Perhaps print and online powerhouse are better terms.
The Reflector will continue its improvement and development and Jeremy really helped spearhead it… good luck guys, I look forward to following along, wherever I am… (no pressure).